Legislation Archive April 2017

Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program

AR H.B. 2150 (Arkansas)Title: To strengthen known incentive programs for SNAP
Adopted April 10, 2017
Sponsor: Representative Penzo (R)
Summary: This bill will support the double up food bucks incentive program for SNAP and associated retailers and expand nutrition education instruction at targeted sites.

AR H.B. 2178 (Arkansas)Title: To adopt the federal resources limits for SNAP
Adopted April 10, 2017
Sponsor: Representative McCollum (R)
Summary: This bill requires that the federal resource limits for SNAP are used to determine eligibility for the program.

NC S.B. 422 (North Carolina)Title: Eligibility Reform/Medicaid/SNAP
Introduced March 29, 2017
Sponsors: Senators Krawiec (R), Pate (R), Hise (R)
Summary: This bill would require applicants for food and nutrition benefits to cooperate with the child support enforcement program as a condition of eligibility for benefits and limit the means by which a person may be granted categorical eligibility for purposes of receiving food and nutrition benefits under the supplemental nutrition and assistance program (SNAP).

NC S.B. 481 (North Carolina)Title: Waiver/Prohibit Certain Foods/SNAP
Introduced March 30, 2017
Sponsor: Senator Davis (R)
Summary: This bill would require the department of health and human services to seek a waiver from the united states department of agriculture that would authorize the state to prohibit the purchase of certain foods under the federal supplemental nutrition assistance program (SNAP).

Assistance Programs - General

NC S.B. 498 (North Carolina)Title: Healthy Food Small Retailer Program
Introduced March 30, 2017
Sponsors: Senators Davis (D), Pate (R)
Summary: This bill would enact the Corner Store Initiative Act to assist small food retailers, operating in both urban and rural areas, with the goal of increasing availability and sales of fresh fruits, vegetables, and other nutrient-dense foods at affordable prices to local residents and improving the diet and health of local residents, especially in food desert zones.

OK S.B. 506 (Oklahoma)Title: Healthy Food Financing Act
Adopted April 25, 2017
Sponsor: Senator Bice (R)
Summary: This bill creates the Healthy Food Financing Act, which provides financing for grocery stores and small food retailers (new or existing) in underserved communities. The Healthy Food Financing Revolving Fund will consist of state appropriations, federal funds, donations, grants, and contributions from public or private sources. The State Board of Agriculture will create rules for program eligibility.

Child Nutrition

MD H.B. 257 (Maryland)Title: Maryland Meals for Achievement for Teens Act of 2017
Adopted April 18, 2017
Sponsor: Delegate Hixson (D)
Summary: This bill will authorize participating secondary schools to serve breakfast in any part of the school, including from "Grab and Go" carts. It also clarifies when breakfast in the classroom should be served.

NY A.B. 7376 (New York)Title: Relates to providing for the rights of students and responsibilities of schools participating in free or reduced fee meal programs
Introduced April 25, 2017
Sponsor: Assemblywoman Simon (D)
Summary: This bill would provide for the rights of students and responsibilities of schools participating in free or reduced fee meal programs, ensure proper information is disseminated and that no student is discriminated against or stigmatized for the use of such programs.

NY S.B. 5664 (New York)Title: Directs commissioner of education to establish guidelines providing for donation of excess, unused, edible food from school meals to food assistance programs
Introduced April 24, 2017
Sponsor: Senator Klein (D)
Summary: This bill would direct the commissioner of education, in cooperation with the commissioner of agriculture and markets, to establish voluntary guidelines to provide for the donation of excess, unused, edible food from school, university or other educational institutions' meal programs to voluntary food assistance programs.

OK H.B. 1875 (Oklahoma)Title: Permitting food donated to a nonprofit organization to be redistributed on the school site
Adopted April 6, 2017
Sponsors: Representatives Dunnington (D), Griffin (R), Inman (D), Proctor (D), Osborn (R), Montgomery (R), Munson (D), Walke (D)
Summary: This bill will permit food donated to a nonprofit organization be redistributed on the school site and permit schools to donate food to a nonprofit organization.

WI A.B. 215 (Wisconsin)Title: Education about nutrition
Introduced April 10, 2017
Sponsors: Representatives Petryk (R), Bernier (R), Billings (D), Murphy (R), Novak (R), Ripp (R), Rohrkaste (R), Sinicki (D), Tauchen (R), Skowronski (R), Senators Olsen (R), L. Taylor, (D) Johnson (R), Lasee (R), Risser (D)
Summary: This bill would require the Department of Public Instruction to modify its nutrition education standards to include knowledge of the nutritive value of foods and the role of a nutritious diet in promoting health. The bill would also modify the conditions prerequisite to a school board awarding a high school diploma by requiring that a nutrition education component be incorporated into the health education credit requirement.